


Vallaslin

by Elvenprince (hedgehogtier)



Series: Background of Sylvunis Mahariel [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 22:18:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5982613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedgehogtier/pseuds/Elvenprince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sylvunis fails to undergo his vallaslin in a single sitting and doesn't take it well.</p><p>Or, Sylvunis is a big baby and Tamlen goes to comfort him. Tamlen/m!Mahariel if you squint.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vallaslin

The forest air was still that evening, the sun already dipping low behind the mountains. Any animals or villages were too far off and clan Sabrae paused its daily routine in bated breath. All the elves were sitting in front of the largest aravel in the camp, surrounding Keeper Marethari and Sylvunis Mahariel. Marethari's eyes were locked on Sylvunis' face--his own locked on his keeper--as her needle intricately stabbed dark ink.

Sylvunis was as still as possible even going as far as holding his breath and not blinking. Merrill, the keeper's first, sat beside her and smiled warmly at Sylvunis knowing her time would come to apply them to her fellow kin. While in the middle of etching the tattoo along Sylvunis' cheek Marethari had to stop. A moment of stillness and Sylvunis pinched his brow in confusion. "...Keeper?" he whispered softly, "Keeper, what-"

"Da'len, you know it's perfectly okay for you to blink, right?" She laughed softly. Sylvunis stared for another moment before finally letting his eyes close slowly once, twice, three times until the moisture came back. "It's almost over." Marethari finished the lines on his cheek before moving to the other side.

It was painful, agonizing and Sylvunis knew it would only get worse in the days to come but he held on. He had to in order to prove to his clan and keeper that he was ready to become an adult. Above all else he wanted to prove to himself that he was worthy of adulthood.

Closer, the ritual was closer to ending that Sylvunis could almost taste it. The pain had started to become more bearable with that in mind until the needle went lower, to his lip. It was quick and sharp like a graze of a speeding arrow. Sylvunis' mind went blank, body acting on its own as he jumped back hissing loudly. "Ah- ...No! Keeper!"

Marethari slowly put the needle down and stood up. "I'm sorry, da'len, but you knew the ways of this ritual. We will have to continue this next time." A collective breath from the clan came out at that moment, life being brought back to the camp, though it was without joy. Some looked to Sylvunis with pity others in disappointment.

"Next time? When is that? Keeper I know I'm ready now, that was just-!"

"Da'len, there is nothing to be ashamed of," Marethari spoke as she put the inks away, "you are certainly not the first to endure multiple attempts at this ritual and you won't be the last either."

"But-!"

"Next time Sylvunis. I will not break tradition because you beg it." Her voice was stern in that moment and Sylvunis knew then it was useless to drag the argument any further.

Slowly the clan dispersed about to their usual tasks. "Don't worry Sylv." Merrill smiled in an attempt to cheer him up. "The vallaslin makes you look quite handsome...even if it is unfinished. And, at least you aren't crying like some of the others do."

"Um...thanks, Merrill." Not feeling the slightest bit reassured Sylvunis got up and made his way into the thick of the forest with his head down. He didn't look back up until all the voices were drowned out by the sounds of the forest; the rushing river to the north, the bustling of small animals moving through bushes and roots, and birds singing lead Sylvunis down a familiar path. "I can't...I spent all that time meditating and for what?!" In his fit Sylvunis pulled a small knife out of its holster and stabbed at a nearby rotted stump. "Dammit...dammit!! I was so close!" 

In his fit Sylvunis did not hear the approaching footsteps of another, watching him from a few feet away. "Now what did that poor stump ever do to you, lethallin?" Tamlen bit back a laugh at the other's startled face. Tamlen came up next to Sylvunis, inspecting the slashes and digs into the old wood. "It's already dead no need to make it worse."

"For fuck's sake Tamlen, not now!" Normally Sylvunis would have been happy that Tamlen seeked him out, that he might have been worried, but now he was too clouded in his rage to accept his presence. The blond elf didn't catch this, however, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Listen, I know how much this means to you and...I know how upset you are. It took me a few times to finish my vallaslin too, remember?" Sylvunis did remember. Being three years his senior, Sylvunis was completely attentive at Tamlen's side, watching as Keeper Marethari applied his markings. Tamlen had flinched half an hour in and the ritual was called off leaving only a fraction of the tattoo done. He hadn't nearly been as upset as Sylvunis was but he was still there for him, there to console him before preparing to continue the ritual. "You remember how long it took Fenarel to complete his, right? So far you're doing way better than he did." That got a laugh out of Sylvunis.

"Thanks, Tam. I just...I thought I'd be able to get this done in one sitting. And I was so close! It was like a slip up or something, the way the needle just seemed to hit some...some...weird spot, I don't know!"

"It happens," Tamlen shrugged. "Anyway, the elders are starting to wonder where you went. Better get back before they send a search party for you. Again." Letting the faintest smile ghost his face Sylvunis pulled his knife out of the tree and followed Tamlen out of the thick forest. He caught up so they would walk side by side, hands occasionally brushing.

"Thanks for coming out here, you really didn't have to."

"Yeah, but I wanted to," Tamlen glanced over at Sylvunis, "I wanted to make sure you were alright. Er, you know," he looked back ahead, trying to will his blush away, "making sure you weren't getting into some stupid shit again."

"Sure thing, Tamlen."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the bi Tamlen mod I ship them 200x as hard, gdi. Also I'm not entirely sure if one little "ow" would be enough to call it off but...whatever.  
> And like last time refs for Sylvunis are up on my tumblr @maharielofficial


End file.
